Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A provocative new interpretation of the origins of Islam that focuses on Muhammad's vision of peace, by the preeminent Middle East expert and blogger of Informed Comment
Master storyteller and history professor Juan Cole weaves a vibrant historical narrative with rich textual analysis to bring to life the fascinating and complex world in which the Prophet Muhammad lived and taught.
Cole examines the roots of Islam by going back to its origin story--that of an orphan boy in search of meaning, community, and sanctuary, a young merchant committed to living in a peaceful society and a prophet who wanted to spread his vision of peace while respecting tribal mores and tradition. He shows how Muslims non-violently resisted the pressures from the pagan elite, and describes the ways in which peacemaking informed the lives of many of the prophets described in the Qur'an.
In this fresh, deeply researched exploration of Muhammad's life and times, Cole delivers a portrait of an era of breathtaking geopolitical shifts as titanic forces from Rome to Persia battled for the soul of the Middle East. Skillfully countering the established Western narrative of Islam as a religion of violence and war, Juan Cole presents a history that is both eye-opening and utterly original.
Synopsis
In the midst of the dramatic seventh-century war between two empires, Muhammad was a spiritual seeker in search of community and sanctuary. Many observers stereotype Islam and its scripture as inherently extreme or violent-a narrative that has overshadowed the truth of its roots. In this masterfully told account, preeminent Middle East expert Juan Cole takes us back to Islam's-and the Prophet Muhammad's-origin story.
Cole shows how Muhammad came of age in an era of unparalleled violence. The eastern Roman Empire and the Sasanian Empire of Iran fought savagely throughout the Near East and Asia Minor. Muhammad's profound distress at the carnage of his times led him to envision an alternative movement, one firmly grounded in peace. The religion Muhammad founded, Islam, spread widely during his lifetime, relying on soft power instead of military might, and sought armistices even when militarily attacked. Cole sheds light on this forgotten history, reminding us that in the Qur'an, the legacy of that spiritual message endures.
A vibrant history that brings to life the fascinating and complex world of the Prophet, Muhammad is the story of how peace is the rule and not the exception for one of the world's most practiced religions.